The Prince in the Shadows (ON HIATUS)

Chapter 2: 1,000 Nights Away (Part 2)

Brooke looked at Jeremy as they ate breakfast in silence...their father was busy again and Michael didn't like to eat with them anymore and often ate alone. She sighed softly as she put her fork down.

"We have to talk to him..." she sighed. "Or at least bring him something to eat..." she sighed.

"Brooke we should just leave him alone you know he doesn't like to be bothered and us trying to make him feel better never really worked..."

"Jeremy it's been three days! We need to see our brother." She said grabbing a plate and putting food on it. "I'm going to see him."

"You know he's going to just tell you to go away."

"Well too bad." She said as she left the room heading to Michael's room. She knocked on the door gently as she opened it seeing her little brother curled up on the bed hugging the raggedy old dragon doll rich made him so many years ago. She walked over to him as she put the plate down on his bedside table. She sat down next to him as she rubbed his side.

"...I'm not hungry Brooke..."

"I don't care if you are not hungry. You haven't eaten in three days and if I come back later and that plate is full still I'm going to make you eat it." She said sternly. He just blankly nodded his head. She sighed softly as she hugged him. "Oh Micha..." she said sadly.

"...can you leave me alone please..."

"No. I'm not going to...at least for a few more minutes..."

"Brooke-"

"Michael I can't understand what you're going through...but I love you so much and I don't want you to get hurt..." she said. "Maybe...you should start to think about moving on..."

"What?!" He said shooting up from his spot. "Move on?! Brooke he was my fiancé! I loved him and he loved me and I don't want to move on because it's been three years!" He said

"Michael. Dad is getting impatient, if you keep doing this he's going to lock you in a tower and wait for someone to rescue you or let you die there." She said, "You know he will..." She sighed as he just sobbed into his pillow. "I'm sorry... I'll... I'll leave you alone... I'll be back later to see if you've eaten." She said getting up as she left the room. Michael looked past the plate of food to the picture frame near his bed of his beloved along with the ring he gave him on his birthday. He held it close sobbing softly into it.

Brooke could hear his sobbing through the door as she walked away to where her brother and his husband were. They looked up to her nervously as she just sat down. "He got upset."

"Told you..."

"Jeremy!" Rich said, hitting his head softly.

"Ow! Look Brooke we can't do anything about this, we have to try and find a way to make him move on, before our father decides to." He said worried as he heard frantic footsteps coming to the study as Christine burst through the door.

"What's wrong honey?" Brooke asked going over to her wife.

"The King is coming over here." She said warning them as they nodded getting themselves ready as he came through the door.

"Hello kids," He said.

"Hello father." They said to him as he walked in pacing around.

"...We need to do something about Michael. The way he's feeling... it's not healthy and it's going to take a huge toll on his life if he keeps acting like this." He sighed.

"We know but we can't just force him to forget Jake..."

"That's why I want to find him someone else, a new suitor perhaps..." He said looking out the window seeing the carriage pulling up. "Maybe... we already have one." he said seeing Dustin walk out of the carriage bowing to the guards as they lead him to where the king and royal twins were.

"Hello you highness's." He smiled softly bowing to them.

"Dustin what a pleasant surprise..." Brooke said.

"Yeah I didn't think you'd be around this week, we didn't have any meetings planned..."

"Well I wanted to check on you all, especially Michael, I know things right now are still... fragile with him about my brother's death, god rest his soul." He said faking sympathy for his brother. "My father had told me it's been 1,000 days since he died...I can't believe it's been that long, it only seemed like yesterday me and Michael made him that little tribute in the woods." He said,

"Thank you Dustin." The king said.

"But there is... another matter I wish to discuss with you..." He said, "I would like permission...To marry Michael sir." He said pulling out a dark but fancy ring with a purple jewel embedded into it.

"Marry Michael?!" Brooke and Jeremy along with their partners said shocked.

"Marry my son...Dustin are you sure. He was your brother's fiance, you both mourned him together..."

"I know but that's why I want to ask, we've grown close since he's died and I want to help heal the wounds his death had left him. I just want to help him further, and who knows he could have feelings for me! I was Jake's brother, and we were very close." He said lying to them. The king nodded his head softly.

"Alright Dustin. I give you my blessing to marry my son. Ask him tonight over dinner, so you can get settled in." He smiled leading him out of the room. Brooke looked to the others worried. Would this really be good for Michael?! Marrying his beloved's brother?! They just hoped Michael would agree... or he'd feel the wrath of their father.

Awww poor Michael, but what's Dustin planning? Why does he suddenly want to marry Michael! Has a new love from the hate he felt for his brother blossomed or is it more dangerous than we think. I'd pick the latter but things happen things change ;3

Hope you enjoyed it and I'll see you all next time :)

More to come as the story continues~

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